Communication device, information processing device, program, and reader/writer providing system

Abstract

A communication device includes an IC (integrated circuit) chip storing information in a predetermined area and functioning as a reader/writer that reads out or writes information stored in another IC chip. Also, the communication device downloads an agent from an information processing device connected to the network. Here, the agent is provided as application software operating the IC chip as a reader/writer. Furthermore, the communication device downloads a role from the information device connected to the network using the agent downloaded therefrom, where the role is provided as script data in which part of the contents of processing of the reader/writer performed by the agent.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
       1. A communication device, comprising:
 an IC chip configured to read out information about an item stored in an external device; and 
 a communication unit configured to download an agent via a network, 
 wherein the agent includes an application software configured to operate the IC chip as a reader, wherein the communication unit is configured to use the agent to download a role via the network, and wherein the role is provided as data in which at least part of a processing of the reader is performed by the agent, and 
 wherein the communication device is configured to read out the item from the external device and to perform a predetermined processing thereon after downloading the agent and the role. 
 
     
     
       2. The communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein the role has an available period. 
     
     
       3. The communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication unit is configured to acquire an access information to download the role. 
     
     
       4. The communication device according to  claim 3 , wherein the access information has an available period. 
     
     
       5. The communication device according to  claim 4 , wherein the access information includes parameters for determining whether the communication device is allowed to download the role. 
     
     
       6. The communication device according to  claim 4 , wherein the communication unit is configured to transmit a request for acquiring a role-download activation page based on the access information,
 wherein based on information included in the request for acquiring the role-download activation page, a GUI screen is displayed associated with display data of the role-download activation page when the communication device is allowed to download the role, and 
 wherein the agent is activated to allow the communication unit to download the role in response to a link in the GUI screen being operated. 
 
     
     
       7. The communication device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a display; and 
 an input unit, 
 wherein the communication unit is configured to download a selected role by selecting the input unit among a plurality of roles displayed on the display. 
 
     
     
       8. The communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein the IC chip is configured to operate as a reader/writer that performs reading and writing of information stored in another IC chip placed in the external communication device. 
     
     
       9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for allowing an apparatus connected to a network to function as a communication device, the computer program causing the apparatus to:
 cause an IC chip to read out information abut an item stored in an external device; 
 download an agent via the network, where the agent includes an application software configured to operate the IC chip as a reader; and 
 download a role via the network using the agent, and the role is provided as data in which at least part of a processing of the reader is performed by the agent, 
 wherein the communication device is configured to read out the item from the external device and to perform a predetermined processing thereon after downloading the agent and the role. 
 
     
     
       10. A communication device, comprising:
 an IC chip configured to read out information about an item stored in an external device; 
 an agent including an application software configured to operate the IC chip as a reader; and 
 a communication unit configured to download a role via a network using the agent, 
 wherein the role is provided as data in which at least part of a processing of the reader is performed by the agent, and 
 wherein the communication device is configured to read out the item from the external device and to perform a predetermined processing thereon after downloading the role. 
 
     
     
       11. An information processing device, comprising:
 a communication unit configured to communicate, via a network, with a communication device having an IC chip configured to read out information about an item stored in an external device, 
 wherein the communication unit transmits display data of a role-download activation page to the communication device in response to a request for acquiring the role-download activation page being transmitted through the network from the communication device, the communication device is configured to download an agent including an application software to operate the IC chip as a reader, and the communication device is configured to use the agent to download a role via the network, 
 wherein the communication unit transmits the role to the communication device via the network in response to receiving an access from the communication device based on a link in the role-download activation page, 
 wherein the role is provided as data in which at least part of a processing of the reader is performed, and 
 wherein the communication device is configured to read out the item from the external device and to perform a predetermined processing thereon after downloading the agent and the role.